gms | German Medical Science

23rd Annual Meeting of the German Retina Society

German Retina Society

24.09. - 25.09.2010, Freiburg

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New software tool for quantification of atrophy progression in patients with geographic atrophy due to AMD

Meeting Abstract

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  • Christian K. Brinkmann - University Eye Clinic Bonn
  • F. Alten - University Eye Clinic Bonn
  • M. Fleckenstein - University Eye Clinic Bonn
  • A. P. Göbel - University Eye Clinic Bonn
  • P. Herrmann - University Eye Clinic Bonn
  • N. Stratmann - University Eye Clinic Bonn
  • S. Schmitz-Valckenberg - University Eye Clinic Bonn
  • F. G. Holz - University Eye Clinic Bonn

German Retina Society. 23rd Annual Conference of the German Retina Society. Freiburg i. Br., 24.-25.09.2010. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2010. Doc10rg07

doi: 10.3205/10rg07, urn:nbn:de:0183-10rg071

This is the English version of the article.
The German version can be found at: http://www.egms.de/de/meetings/rg2010/10rg07.shtml

Published: September 21, 2010

© 2010 Brinkmann et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Background: A novel semi-automated software enables the monitoring of the increment of geographic atrophy (GA) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by fundus-autofluorescence (FAF) imaging. This study investigates interobserver variability and reliability of longitudinal examinations of the software that was developed according to FDA-criteria for interventional multicenter trials.

Methods: FAF images were obtained from 366 eyes (230 patients) following a standardised protocol using Spectralis/Heidelberg Retina Angiograph (Heidelberg Engineering) and read by the GRADE Reading Center. The GA area was measured by two independent groups of readers with the new software (RegionFinder, Heidelberg Engineering). Grading results were then compared. Further evaluation of longitudinal GA-Quantification was performed.

Results: The RegionFinder allows for export of FAF-images from the data bank, semi-automated detection of atrophic areas by marking of seeding points, shadow correction and vessel detection. Measurements are directly exported and graphically displayed in a grading report. Mean size of atrophy was 7.92 mm2 ± 5.12 (Range 0.08–25.13). Mean difference between observers (interobserver variability was –0,09 mm2 (95% KI [–0.15 bis –0.03]). Longitudinal changes could readily be observed after six months. Measurement deviations result from confluent atrophy around the optic nerve head, discrimination between drusen and GA-satellites, or between absorption form macular pigment and foveal atropy.

Conclusions: The RegionFinder offers an accurate, reproducible and time-efficient quantification of atrophy and progression rates. Major components of the software are automated according to FADA-regulations. The RegionFinder facilitates therapy monitoring in interventional trials as well as determination and documentation of atrophy increment in clinical settings.